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Solar Resource Variability

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Wind Field and Solar Radiation Characterization and Forecasting

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

This chapter aims at characterizing and modeling solar resource variability. It is shown that understanding solar energy variability requires a definition of the temporal and spatial context for which variability is assessed. This research describes a predictable, quantifiable variability-smoothing space–time continuum from a single point to thousands of kilometers and from seconds to days. Implications for solar penetration on the power grid and variability mitigation strategies are also discussed. Models for predicting intra-day or intra-hourly variability as a function of insolation conditions are also depicted.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This velocity is a priori defined as the vector in the direction of the two considered locations. However, as will be discussed below, empirical evidence shows that a mean, local—directionless—velocity, can be an adequate input for assessing regional station pair correlations.

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Acknowledgement

This chapter includes material originally developed for articles written in collaboration with Jan Kleissl of University of San Diego, California.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, State University of New York, 251 Fuller Road, Albany, NY, 12203, USA

    Richard Perez & Sergey Kivalov

  2. Laboratoire de Physique et ingénierie mathématique pour l’énergie, l’environnement et le bâtiment, Université de La Réunion, 15 avenue René Cassin, 97715, Saint-Denis Cedex, France

    Philippe Lauret & Mathieu David

  3. Clean Power Research, 1541 Third Street, Napa, CA, 94559, USA

    Marc Perez & Thomas E. Hoff

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    Richard Perez

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Perez, R., Lauret, P., Perez, M., David, M., Hoff, T.E., Kivalov, S. (2018). Solar Resource Variability. In: Perez, R. (eds) Wind Field and Solar Radiation Characterization and Forecasting. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76876-2_7

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